Join the Movement toGrow Hawaiian!
Ka mālama ‘ana i ka mo‘omeheu. I mea e ola ai mai kēia mua aku. Preserving culture. So that there is life to come.
Saturday, February 28th from 9:00 am - 2:30 pm
About the Festival
The Grow Hawaiian Festival is an annual, free, family-friendly celebration hosted by Amy Greenwell Ethnobotanical Garden that brings the community together to honor Hawaiian culture and ethnobotany. Through demonstrations, hands-on workshops, presentations, and garden tours, participants engage in traditional plant-based practices such as kapa making, lauhala weaving, and poi pounding, while learning about the central role of native plants in Hawaiian lifeways. Featuring local artisans, cultural practitioners, and experts, the festival celebrates Hawai`i’s living heritage with music, local food, and a welcoming community atmosphere.
Grow Hawaiian reflects the Garden’s mission to preserve Hawaiian plants and the cultural practices that sustain them. As a place of education, conservation, and stewardship, the Garden connects traditional knowledge with contemporary sustainability, and the festival focuses these efforts by engaging the community in Hawai`i’s biocultural legacy.
This year’s festival centers on Mālama Nā Kūpuna, honoring kūpuna plants as elders and teachers of knowledge and cultural practice. Grow Hawaiian will highlight the ways kūpuna forests have long sustained Hawaiian culture—supporting plant knowledge, resources, and stewardship teachings that are learned through place-based practice and shared across generations. Through demonstrations, workshops, and gathering together, the festival offers opportunities to learn from kūpuna plants and the relationships people continue to build with them today.
WHY Join the movement to Grow Hawaiian?
Reduce Dependence on Food Imports
Hawai‘i imports over 85% of its food, making the islands vulnerable to global supply chain disruptions. By growing Hawaiian, we can increase local food production and enhance food security.
Revitalize Traditional Agriculture Practices
Hawaiian agricultural traditions such as kalo (taro) and ‘ulu (breadfruit farming are sustainable systems designed for the local environment. Supporting these practices promotes regenerative agriculture and connects us to cultural wisdom.
Restore Native Ecosystems
Cultivating native plants, including traditional crops, supports ecological restoration by improving soil health, increasing biodiversity, and providing habitat for endemic species.
Adapt to Climate Change
Growing Hawaiian plants and crops enhances resilience to climate change by promoting drought-tolerant species, reducing reliance on water-intensive imports, and fostering carbon-sequestering ecosystems.
Combat Invasive Species
Growing native species and traditional crops helps push back against invasive plants that dominate the landscape, restoring balance and protecting Hawai‘i’s unique ecosystems.
Improve Food Quality and Nutrition
Locally grown Hawaiian foods are fresher, healthier, and more nutrient-dense than imported alternatives. They also reduce the environmental impact of transportation.
Create Educational Opportunities
Engaging in the Grow Hawaiian movement offers hands-on learning experiences about traditional agricultural practices, sustainability, and the cultural significance of native species.
Build Community and Cultural Identity
Growing Hawaiian fosters a sense of community, connecting people through shared values of mālama ‘āina (caring for the land), perpetuating Hawaiian cultural traditions, and celebrating a collective effort toward a sustainable future.
Become a Sponsor
On February 28th, we expect the 15th annual Grow Hawaiian Festival to grow in reach and significance. This event has become a beloved cornerstone of the community, typically drawing 2000-3000 attendees.
For sponsors, this event offers a unique opportunity to showcase community support and align with a cause that resonates deeply with Hawaii’s people and values. Supporting the festival means directly contributing to the preservation of native plants, the perpetuation of traditional knowledge, and the cultivation of a sustainable future for Hawaii.
We invite you to join us in celebrating and supporting this incredible event. Together, we can make the 14th annual Grow Hawaiian Festival the most impactful one yet, fostering a deeper appreciation for Hawaii’s heritage while building a brighter, greener future.
Become a Sponsor Today:
Garden Location
Amy B.H. Greenwell Ethnobotanical Garden
82-6160 Hawaii Belt Rd
Captain Cook, HI 96704
USA
Mahalo to our Partners & Funders:
- Atherton Family Foundation
- Ceres Trust
- Lawrence H. Dorcy Hawaiian Foundation
- Cooke Foundation, Ltd.
- The Healy Foundation
- Kosasa Foundation
Funding for this work is provided by the USDA Forest Service, Urban and Community Forestry Program. USDA, Amy Greenwell Ethnobotanical Garden and partners are equal opportunity providers and employers.
📸 Photography Credit: Kristina Holladay